Where are my Gun Owners?

[DelPen]

Regretting not hopping on the Metro yesterday from Alexandria into DC and back with my Shield since for now that would have been legal. Might have been my only chance until they adopt MD's may issue permitting.

[DelPen]

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Talking about this in the events thread but figured there some good stuff to bring here.

Do you need to have a class or anything in PA? I'm certified to instruct by both NC and SC and being near Charlotte I make it clear to all my students the differences in each state. For instance, without a permit, you can have a gun in your glove box in SC but if you cross into NC it needs to be in the open on your passenger seat. Forget in either state and you are breaking the law.

[Hockeynut!]

No class in PA. I bought my first handgun a couple weeks ago. Applied for a carry permit at the Sheriff's office. 10 days later I had my permit.

[dodint]

That still makes me shake my head. I guess you have to just trust people not to buy guns they don't know how to handle, since they'll be carrying them around everywhere and all.

What are the restrictions in PA for carrying? In NC you can't carry where they serve beer (sorta), you can't carry anywhere that charges admission (movie theater, sports events), can't carry in government buildings, can't carry on federal installations, can't carry while participating in or present at any parade, funeral procession, picket line, or demonstration upon any public place. Because of this, I don't carry even though I have a permit since I work on a federal installation it's too much of a hassle.

Pretty much the only time I carry is when I'm going from NC to PA.

[Shyster]

The only restrictions in PA are schools and court facilities, as well as the places restricted under federal law. There are no other restrictions. For example, I thought all the hand-wringing about the so-called "guns everywhere" bill down in Georgia was funny because the places Georgia was allowing carry (like bars, churches, and libraries) were places that have never been off-limits in PA to begin with.

[DelPen]

That still makes me shake my head. I guess you have to just trust people not to buy guns they don't know how to handle, since they'll be carrying them around everywhere and all.

What are the restrictions in PA for carrying? In NC you can't carry where they serve beer (sorta), you can't carry anywhere that charges admission (movie theater, sports events), can't carry in government buildings, can't carry on federal installations, can't carry while participating in or present at any parade, funeral procession, picket line, or demonstration upon any public place. Because of this, I don't carry even though I have a permit since I work on a federal installation it's too much of a hassle.

Pretty much the only time I carry is when I'm going from NC to PA.

Places that charged admission, locations that served alcohol, parades, and financial institutions are no longer off limits as of October last year unless the buisness has a sign posted prohibiting carrying on their property.

Federal buildings all off limits still, same as SC and guessing everywhere. Which is why people better still be careful in DC since just about every building is federal. But in general there, since all carrying was banned they never had to specify where you can't carry so I'm not sure.

I hope this does usher in national reciprocity.

[dodint]

I knew the alcohol protion had changed, but not the places that charged admission portion. That part is a real game changer. I'll have to read into it to see the actual verbiage. Thanks for the heads up.

[Hockeynut!]

Went to the range just before the thunderstorms hit and emptied one magazine into a target. I felt like this was my best shooting yet (only 3rd time at the range) but would still like to tighten up my grouping. I fired 2 shots resting against bench they have set up but those were actually two of the worst shots (both low to the right) so I shot without bracing myself for the other 15 rounds and did much better. Here's the target. One hole isn't in the pic, I had one stray far right in the 6 or 7 range.

Any advice on getting my shots closer together aside from practice, practice, practice?

[Idoit40fans]

Set up the target closer to you.

[Hockeynut!]

I never thought of that. Thanks!

[dodint]

What's the yardage? That's either really impressive or really horrible. Can't tell.

[tifosi77]

Yeah, if you're missing by 3-4 inches at 25 yds that just might be the inherent limits of the pistol's performance (or the ammo). If you are missing by that much at ~10 feet, well..... that's a 'you' problem.

The way the group is sort of well centered vertically but off horizontally might be trigger pull, grip, stance, or all. (Or something else, even) Consistency is key here, so do everything you can to practice. You can dry-fire at home to get max reps, and reps are all important. My father-in-law corrected my trigger pull (which was consistent, just poor) by having my take a more positive grip on the pistol - I had just been using isometric tension between my dominant hand and the support hand, but my fingers were relatively loose, which meant there was room for my hand to squeeze and torque the pistol as my trigger finger came back - and shifting my trigger finger contact point ahead of the first crease in the finger, but short of the tip. (FWIW, my groups were consistently in the 7 - 8 o'clock region of the paper, about 6-10" from the 10 ring.)

I dunno, DelPen is the one for the pro tips here. My father-in-law was a longtime police instructor and captain of the pistol team, but he can't see your groups and stance, etc. Just passing on what he said about me.

[Hockeynut!]

Sorry, these are all at 15 yards. I didn't shoot any at 25 yards today. I figure it's best to get as good as possible at a regular range, then work on distance.

Edit: To add, today I went with an Isosceles stance for the first time. I'd been trying to mimic a Weaver stance my first two trips to the range and it really fatigued my shoulder (which I'm pretty sure I've whined about injuring here in the past). I watched some youtube videos with Jerry Miculek and noticed he recommended Isosceles and decided to try it and I really like it. I much prefer it to whatever the heck I was doing before.

[Hockeynut!]

So, to shoot my pistol at a State Game Lands shooting range I need to have either a hunting or furtakers license. These cost $20.70. If I don't have a hunting or furtakers license, I have to purchase a Range Use Permit which costs $30. Yeah, that makes sense...

[dodint]

I just signed up to an online hunters safety course here in NC so I can hunt in PA this fall. The internet is awesome, but the in-person course is free and the web one is $13. So there is that.

[mac5155]

Just go to walmart and buy the license. I got my first license when I was 17 and never took the safety course

[dodint]

I'm out of state, so I'm buying through the Game Commission Web Portal, without the course I'd have to buy a mentored permit which would be fine but you can't take antlered deer with it.

The cost of my non-resident license is $101.70. Woo.

[shafnutz05]

I'm actually finally taking a hunter safety course this year...I've been around guns plenty (expert marksman in rifle and pistol when I was in CG, grew up in the sticks outside of Altoona, etc), but want to get a license in NY this year. My father-in-law's buddies have a cabin up in the Adirondacks, and they have a blowout "hunting" weekend up there every year (mostly drinking).

[tifosi77]

I remember taking hunter safety when I was about 13 or so. They shot watermelons to visually give you an idea of what kind of power a rifle round has. Funny, thinking about it now I can totally remember the day with pretty good acuity, but I can't remember what I had for dinner five nights ago.

[mac5155]

Bought my license yesterday. I do appreciate that the price of it has stayed pretty constant over the past 5 years. I feel like fishing licenses have doubled in cost. $37 for a hunting license with an archery tag.

[BuckintheLou]

Pa. has one of lowest costs for non-residents and I'm grateful. It costs me $175 to turkey hunt 7 days in Tn.

I took the Pa. Hunter Safety Course back in '73 or '74.
Remember almost nothing from those 2 days except a drill in crossing a fence with a firearm.
(well actually, crossing the fence without the gun)

[Shyster]

Never taken the class or had a hunting license. It's not that I object to hunting or anything. I object to waking up before dawn and freezing my butt off in the woods.

[BuckintheLou]

Noted sir. I am no fan of hitting the floor prior to O-dark-thirty either.
However, the pro's far outweigh the con's and the early morning rise helps me sleep through my midday nap.

[mac5155]

Never taken the class or had a hunting license. It's not that I object to hunting or anything. I object to waking up before dawn and freezing my butt off in the woods.

im a very picky hunter. You should try archery. Some of the best archery weather is 50 degree weather about 2 hours before dusk.

[tifosi77]

Yeah, I only ever went bowhunting. It's bad enough that you have put your clothes in a bag full of dirt and leaves and deer pee, no need to add 'and then go sit in the cold dark forest for five hours' to that list.